Every spring the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes a ranking of the breeds registered with it during the previous year. The 2025 list, released in March 2026, puts the French Bulldog at No. 1 for the fourth year in a row, ahead of the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever.
The AKC is the largest purebred dog registry in the United States, but it only counts dogs whose breeders or owners registered them. Most dogs in American homes are mixed breeds or were never registered, so this list shows which purebred breeds are in demand, not which dogs are most common on your street.
Top 10 breeds in 2025
No. 1: French Bulldog
A compact, flat-faced companion with bat ears, happy in small homes but sensitive to heat.
No. 2: Labrador Retriever
A friendly, food-loving retriever that needs daily exercise and is widely used as an assistance dog.
No. 3: Golden Retriever
A gentle, eager-to-please family dog with a long coat that sheds a lot and needs regular brushing.
No. 4: German Shepherd Dog
A loyal, intelligent working dog that needs training, a job to do and plenty of activity.
No. 5: Dachshund
A long-backed, short-legged hound with a big bark and an independent mind; comes in smooth, long and wire coats.
No. 6: Poodle
A clever, athletic dog in toy, miniature and standard sizes, with a low-shedding coat that needs regular grooming.
No. 7: Beagle
A cheerful scent hound that follows its nose, loves company and can be vocal when bored.
No. 8: Rottweiler
A powerful, confident guardian breed that is devoted to its family and needs early training and socialization.
No. 9: German Shorthaired Pointer
A versatile hunting dog with seemingly endless energy, best for very active owners.
No. 10: Bulldog
A calm, sturdy and affectionate dog with a wrinkled flat face that needs care in hot weather.
Reading this year’s list
The top four did not change from the year before: French Bulldog, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever and German Shepherd Dog. The movement came just below them. The Dachshund rose from No. 6 to No. 5, and the Poodle slipped one place to No. 6, dropping out of the top five.
Further down, the German Shorthaired Pointer climbed from No. 10 to No. 9 and the Bulldog fell from No. 9 to No. 10. Taken together, the list mixes two very different kinds of dog: compact companions that suit smaller homes, such as the French Bulldog, Dachshund and Bulldog, and energetic sporting and working breeds, such as the two retrievers, the German Shepherd and the pointer.
The Labrador Retriever is a useful reference point. It held the No. 1 spot for 31 years until the French Bulldog overtook it in the 2022 ranking, and 2025 is its third year in a row at No. 2. That long run, and its end, show how much American demand has moved toward smaller dogs over the last decade.
About the No. 1 breed: French Bulldog
- Size
- Small
- FCI group
- 9 · Companion and toy dogs
- Origin
- France
Temperament
French Bulldogs are affectionate, playful and usually relaxed with people, including children and visitors. Many are not big barkers, which helps in shared buildings, but most have a stubborn streak. Short, cheerful training sessions with food rewards tend to work better than long drills.
Size and build
A small but solid dog with a large square head, a short muzzle and upright bat-shaped ears. The AKC breed standard sets an upper limit of 28 pounds (about 13 kg), and most adults stand around 11 to 13 inches at the shoulder.
Daily care
The short coat needs little more than a weekly brush, but the skin folds on the face should be kept clean and dry. Walks can be short and easy. Because of the flat face, Frenchies cope badly with heat: in American summers, walk them early or late, keep them in air conditioning on hot days, and never leave one in a parked car. Most swim poorly, so watch them closely around pools.
Who it suits
People in apartments or smaller homes who are around a lot and want a companion rather than a running partner. A French Bulldog is a poor match for a home without cooling in a hot climate, or for owners who want long hikes and beach days.
Health in general terms
Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds can have breathing problems, and French Bulldogs are also prone to spine, skin, ear and eye issues. Loud breathing, heavy snoring or tiring quickly is not simply normal for the breed and is worth raising with a vet. Many litters are delivered by caesarean section, which is one reason puppies cost so much. Choosing a breeder who health-tests the parents and avoids extreme features, and planning for vet costs, is sensible.
This is general breed information, not medical advice. Ask a veterinarian about your own dog, and ask any breeder about the health tests used for the parents.
Why the French Bulldog is popular in the United States
The AKC points to city living as the reason for the French Bulldog's popularity. In its 2025 announcement it says French Bulldogs work well in cities and apartments and allow people with small spaces to have a dog as well. The rise has been fast: the breed was No. 14 in 2012 and reached No. 1 in 2022.
The breed's traits explain much of the rest. A Frenchie is small enough for an apartment but sturdy rather than fragile, needs only moderate exercise, and rarely barks without a reason. Its expressive face and clownish personality also make it a very recognizable dog. The same short face is the source of its main health concerns, though, so popularity alone is not a good reason to choose one.
What these rankings measure
National kennel club breed rankings are registration rankings, not a census of the dogs living in each country. Only purebred puppies registered with the national kennel club are counted. Mixed-breed dogs, dogs from shelters and most dogs bred outside the club system never appear. Rules and fees differ between clubs, so the numbers are best compared within one country, not across countries.
Useful tools
See also: Bald eagle: National Bird of the United States